Friday, February 29, 2008

This has to be one of my favourite obsessions, finding pictures of toy stores and aisles past. So I'm really pleased to be coming out with Vintage Toy Stores Part Five with a collection of images that feature classic toys of the seventies including Mego Superheroes, Adventure Team G.I. Joes, Aurora Monster Models, View Masters, Tonka Trucks and of course, Star Wars action figures.

If you're digging this then please check out Part One, Part Two and Part 3 and Part 4in this series. I hope to bring Part 6 in the next few months, wish me luck!

Thursday, February 28, 2008

More reminders of my now long gone sleeping bag collection, that supergals one was possibly my favourite of all time, it doesn't hurt that much of it looks like a giant Mego actionf figure package but how often do you see Wondergirl on merchandising?

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Star Bird was created by Milton Bradley, it's cool electronic features set it apart from the more obvious Star Wars inspired toys of the day (like this stuff). The command base practically begs you to use your star wars figures on it!

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Today's colouring book is another one I had as a kid, Batman and Robin Battle the Joker in "Comedy of Tears" I borrowed the cover image from Rob Kelly's Treasury Comicswebsite because this tabloid sized volume is too big for my scanner.While the cover is a 60's image by Carmine Infantino (which also graced the Mego Batman box) the insides reflect the Batman of the mid seventies, Robin looks to be about 18.Whitman did a nice job marrying the modern art style while making the content just a little reminiscent of the Adam West series.I must say as a kid, I really dug this book, probably why I still have it as an adult. Most of the colouring is by yours truly but I'll explain that later.

The story starts out with the Joker escaping from Arkham Asylum and decides to think outside the box, instead of making people laugh, he'll make them cry. Bruce Wayne is wearing the loudest jacket he can find, no second guessing the decade here.

The Joker, who is drawn to look like an eery combination of Phyllis Diller and that "Madame" puppet, embarks on a series of seemingly meaningless crimes that make people cry, like stealing this kid's report card and swiping some schlub's petition.

Of course, the Joker wants the signatures on those documents to commit crimes which leads into his first encounter with the Dynamic Duo. Note the Joker's green nose, this is another strange colouring job by the previously mentioned Michael C. He was a menace, I remember snapping about this.

In the end, the Dynamic Duo get the best of the Joker by duping him into accepting a cheque as ransom for Robin. The dynamic duo get all dressed up to pick him up for his trip back to the asylum. Life is swell in Gotham city.

Saturday, February 23, 2008

A very cool "back in the day" piece of Star Trek coolness courtesy of Jerry, whose patient mom converted a red sweatshirt into a perfect trek uniform. Word of advice young Jerry, don't volunteer for any landing parties. If I wasn't already envious of that sweet Remco Ultility belt, Jerry rubs in it a little with his parting words "That utility belt wasawesome, I tell ya...".

Thanks for the great submission Jerry, if anyone else has some toy love they'd like to share, drop me a line.

After the demise of the Super Adventure Team, Hasbro regrouped and turned G.I. Joe into Super Joe, an 8" Mego sized Space Warrior. Super Joe lost the space war in 1978, interestingly at a time when the public's interest in science fiction was at a new high.

Toy Fair 1977 : Mattel put a lot of time into developing a Welcome Back Kotter line of action figures in 1977 but they had bigger success with the Shogun Warriorsalso making a debut in 1977. The Space:1999Zython figure mentioned here never saw release in North America but is occasionally available through German Ebay.

Toy Fair 1976: Eagle Eye Joe, Mike Power Atomic Man, Bullet man all teamed up to fight the evil Intruder aliens. This was G.I. Joe's final year of production, Hasbro reps were optomistic about the sales improving but sadly, it didn't work out.

Many of us thrilled to comic book and tv/movie adventures in those pre VCR days via Peter Pan record and comic sets. Dig the amazing store display in this article, what a nice thing to find now. For more on Power Records check out this groovy blog

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Toy Fair 1974 saw the introduction of the Mego Superfoe figures and my obsession with the Riddler was born. For more Mego action figure goodness check out the Mego Museum (whose members have already seen this, it was too good not recycle).

Toyfair 1974: Ideal's Evel Knievel was one of the hottest action figures going as this less than subtle ad from Ideal suggests, if you grew up in suburbia chances are you knew at least one kid with this thing.

Toyfair 1974: Deviled ham pitchman Mason Reese does a little moonlighting to support the new line of pirate action figures. The Matchbox Fighting Furies were one of the nicest made action figure lines of the 1970's.